When a character is subject to a surprise round once combat has started (say via an opponent using ambush basics), are they automatically rendered flatfooted?

I would say, "yes, conditionally" - by which I mean, I wouldn't rule that it's always the case, but it seems like it would be most of the time. I'd reserve the right to not have one or more targets become flat-footed based on their positions, current actions, awareness, and a variety of other factors.

Mostly to Pat or Alex (I'm after intent of RAW), but happy to see opinions:

Can you apply tricks to free actions granted by other tricks?

Clarifying example: I have Sword Mastery and Charge Basics. Charge is a Run Trick. Can I apply Bury the Blade to the Free Attack that is granted by my Charge Trick? I can see two interpretations - on one hand, you are applying a trick to an action that already has a trick (Run with Charge + Bury the Blade). On the other, you are applying a trick to a run action, and a separate trick to an attack action (Run + Charge // Attack + Bury the Blade).

Relevant rules seem to be: Charge (Run Trick): You may make 1 free attack at any point during your movement

You may apply a single trick to any action listed in the trick’s description. You may not apply more than 1 trick to any action.

FREE ATTACKS: A character may occasionally gain 1 or more “free attacks,” which are single attacks that cannot trigger other attacks. Each free attack is a free-action Standard Attack and may be boosted with tricks and other rules.

Taken collectively, free attacks are NOT part of the action that gave you the free attack. They are a "free-action Standard Attack". As a separate attack action, since you can apply 1 trick to any given action, you can apply a trick to the free attack you gain while using the Charge(Run Trick).

I'd like to see what Crafty's official response is, but I'd go with "The distract affects all three, but only one is fixated". It's more inline with other things in the system - Sneak Attack and Critical Hits only work on the first hit of a multi-hit attack, and this seems fairly similar.

As written all three are fixated. Also, each target is rolling separately versus the single Distract roll and the sneak attack and critical hit things are explicitly called out, so it's not necessarily a general rule.

OK, now that I've played FC a few times and seen this in action, along with reading how other tricks work, I think I know what my problem with it is. Almost every other trick has some sort of "flaw" associated with it, either a limited number of uses per scene (based off of action dice or # of Same type feats) or failure penalty (flat-footed, etc). But as written, a player (with an attractiveness of 3) can tie up to six minions per round (two distracts per round), for three separate rounds, for a total of 18 minions in three rounds. Which gets even higher as the attractiveness goes up. My thoughts are to tie the use of the Yowza! trick to the number of style feats of the character. However, to throw my player a bone (since she didn't design her mage with a lot of style feats in mind), I was thinking of tying the number of uses for her (specifically) to starting action dice until the number of style feats outstrip them (freely admitting that might never happen).

Or maybe I'm overlooking some flaw that happens at later levels. I mean, I know the fixate isn't always successful (no major downside when that happens), and each target gets a chance to shake it off. In this instance, my players were 3rd level and it was the Raveners from "The Darkest Hour" (undead could be fixated, who knew) and they pretty much had to role a 20 to come out of this.

Or maybe I'm overlooking some flaw that happens at later levels. I mean, I know the fixate isn't always successful (no major downside when that happens), and each target gets a chance to shake it off. In this instance, my players were 3rd level and it was the Raveners from "The Darkest Hour" (undead could be fixated, who knew) and they pretty much had to role a 20 to come out of this.

You can also add downsides that fit the story for failure. I had a Bard Sage try to beguile a Hydra with music (soothing the savage beast stuff) and crit failed. Hydra spent the rest of the fight thinking he was the most delicious looking of the party and tried to eat him specifically. Granted, that's a critical failure, but the premise works the same.

Relevant rules seem to be: Charge (Run Trick): You may make 1 free attack at any point during your movement

You may apply a single trick to any action listed in the trick’s description. You may not apply more than 1 trick to any action.

FREE ATTACKS: A character may occasionally gain 1 or more “free attacks,” which are single attacks that cannot trigger other attacks. Each free attack is a free-action Standard Attack and may be boosted with tricks and other rules.

Taken collectively, free attacks are NOT part of the action that gave you the free attack. They are a "free-action Standard Attack". As a separate attack action, since you can apply 1 trick to any given action, you can apply a trick to the free attack you gain while using the Charge(Run Trick).

As best I can determine, once the prep-time has passed (6 rounds normally, 2 rounds thanks to Ambush basics), an Ambush check itself is by definition a free action.

It's a 1-minute check where the roll doesn't come into play until the end, but yeah, same difference (except for rules that apply to free actions - those don't apply to Ambush checks, if that's what you were thinking).

As best I can determine, once the prep-time has passed (6 rounds normally, 2 rounds thanks to Ambush basics), an Ambush check itself is by definition a free action.

It's a 1-minute check where the roll doesn't come into play until the end, but yeah, same difference (except for rules that apply to free actions - those don't apply to Ambush checks, if that's what you were thinking).

Do you have to do anything specific during the 1-minute? I was under the impression that your 1 minute (or 2 rounds) were taken up fully by "preparing", is this not the case?